Embers Ad Infinitum

Long Yuehong felt a chill run down his spine that very moment. It was as if he had fallen into a wintry cave from a warm summer night. He found the wind around him abnormally cold.

Wang Fugui and the others didn’t understand what had happened, but they also sensed Genava’s abnormality.

They walked one to two steps to the side almost at the same time, attempting to distance themselves from the Old Task Force and any possible latent dangers.

Bai Chen held the flashlight in one hand and raised the Ice Moss in her other hand, but she hesitated and didn’t fire.

On the one hand, this was because pistol bullets could hardly harm Genava. On the other hand, Bai Chen instinctively believed that Genava’s current situation was very likely due to Wu Meng’s information invasion. It was just like how DiMarco had possessed humans back then.

This wasn’t a problem that could be resolved with firearms.

At this moment, only Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian didn’t daze, hesitate, or simply watch.

Shang Jianyao had used the excuse of checking his small speaker to take out the blue and white loudspeaker from his tactical backpack and use it to enhance Inference Clowning’s range of influence.

Jiang Baimian raised her left hand and aimed her palm at Genava.

Genava opened and closed his metal mouth and let out a magnetic voice that belonged to Wu Meng again. “The more dangerous it is, the riskier it is—the more one should act in an antithetical manner as the saying goes…”

Before he could finish speaking, a large number of silver-white electric arcs spewed out of Jiang Baimian’s left palm.

These electric arcs rapidly expanded, enveloping Genava and weaving a bright and dangerous net of lightning.

This made Wang Fugui and the others widen their eyes. Their pupils were filled with remnant electric sparks.

At the same time, a mechanical voice sounded from Genava’s speaker. “Unknown intrusion detected. Unknown intrusion detected. Initiating quarantine procedures…”

With a sizzling sound, the electric currents released by Jiang Baimian crazily danced, forming an abnormally chaotic electromagnetic field in the surrounding area.

The red glow in Genava’s eyes stabilized.

Jiang Baimian immediately shouted, “Terminate radio station mode! Let’s go!”

With that said, she turned around and assumed a posture of running toward the cave entrance.

“Alright!” Genava returned to normal and rushed out of the silver-white net of lightning while the electric current dissipated.

Elsewhere, Shang Jianyao threw his tactical backpack on his back and widened his stride.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen didn’t slow down at all. They carried relatively heavy crates on their backs and ran toward the cave entrance.

Wang Fugui and the others were experienced Ruin Hunters. Although they couldn’t figure out what had happened and were still shocked that Jiang Baimian had created a large electric net with her bare hand, they basically had all the necessary instinctive reactions.

Without bothering to ask, they suddenly turned around and followed behind the Old Task Force, running desperately.

Behind the two teams, starlight scattered the darkness. The artificial lake’s surface gently rippled with the relatively hot evening breeze.

All of this was so serene that it appeared all so harmless. There wasn’t even a single living creature.

The Old Task Force was already very close to the cave entrance. After a few steps, they passed through the open metal door.

Jiang Baimian slowed down and signaled to Genava and Shang Jianyao with her eyes.

They stopped and waited for the confused and vigilant Wang Fugui and the others to rush into the cave before they ran to the metal door’s sides.

Genava took one side, while Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao took charge of the other. They pushed the doors and closed them with a clang.

After doing all of this, they turned around and accelerated, chasing after the people in front of them.

Upon seeing that October Xue’s team had no intention of slowing down, Wang Fugui, Gray, Waite, and the others believed that the danger had yet to be resolved. They didn’t dare to relax and continued charging forward.

As the flashlights flickered, they ran for an unknown distance and quickly approached the limits of human stamina.

Jiang Baimian’s train of thought was abnormally clear. She immediately signaled for Long Yuehong and the others to stop.

Huff… Huff… Long Yuehong and Bai Chen panted heavily.

“Put on the military exoskeletons,” Jiang Baimian quickly instructed.

This was one of the evacuation plans they had prepared. Without needing her to explain anything, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen put down the cardboard boxes behind them and took out the two relatively new military exoskeletons inside.

With Shang Jianyao and Genava’s help, they quickly equipped the exoskeletons.

On the other side, Jiang Baimian equipped the team’s oldest AC-42 General exoskeleton by herself.

Wang Fugui, Gray, Waite, and the others had already expected such equipment from the Old Task Force, so they weren’t that surprised at this moment. Instead, they quietly distanced themselves and prepared for any counterattacks.

They were afraid that the other party would turn hostile after they were fully armed.

Thud!

A loud voice suddenly echoed in the passageway, drilling into Jiang Baimian and the others’ ears from the entrance.

At this moment, the same thought flashed across everyone’s minds without needing any explanation: The door to the previously closed entrance has been opened by an unknown enemy! It was opened with great force!

The three Old Task Force members had yet to fully equip their military exoskeletons.

The others—including their guide, Roen—looked at each other and didn’t say a word. They turned around and made a mad dash.

Since everyone was unrelated, they definitely wouldn’t stay behind to live and die with the Old Task Force.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Baimian calmly said to Long Yuehong and Bai Chen, “There’s no rush. More haste, less speed.”

She leaned against the wall and quickly and methodologically latched the metal latches in different spots.

“It’s useless even if they are anxious. Old Ge and I hold the initiative,” Shang Jianyao replied with a smile, not showing any anxiety.

Without his and Genava’s help, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen couldn’t equip the military exoskeletons themselves.

Although he often criticized this fellow, Long Yuehong still had to say, “He sure is calm.”

In less than a minute, Shang Jianyao and Genava helped Long Yuehong and Bai Chen put on the two military exoskeletons. Jiang Baimian was already moving her limbs.

“Let’s go!” Jiang Baimian quickly turned around and chased after the Ruin Hunters.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen followed closely behind.

Shang Jianyao pressed his palm and gently jumped up to sit on the squatting Genava’s left shoulder. Genava then quickly straightened his body and ran with large strides.

Compared to before, their speed was more than two to three times faster!

Augmented by the military exoskeletons, the Old Task Force didn’t have to expend much stamina before they saw Wang Fugui and the others.

They had been running for so long that they were approaching their limits. They didn’t seem like they could run anymore.

Upon seeing the Old Task Force members—who had rushed forward in a relaxed manner—and sensing the darkness and silence in the passage behind them, many of them revealed looks of despair. They could no longer think straight.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian shouted as she ran. “Don’t give up. We’ll help you!”

She wasn’t being kind to the point of stupidity by providing such a plan. Instead, she had other ideas.

This was the best solution she found after weighing the pros and cons. If the Old Task Force ignored them and directly ran past these people, they might very well do something irrational in their despair. For example, they might wish for everyone to die together. For example, they could snatch the military exoskeletons to facilitate their escape. For example, they could forcefully keep the Old Task Force here and create chaos to fish in troubled waters.

It was just like how drowning people tended to pull others into the water.

Most of these were lone Hunters with unknown abilities and great strength. Although the Old Task Force wasn’t afraid in their current situation, they didn’t dare to underestimate them.

Even if they didn’t suffer any losses when the time came, they might be delayed a few minutes—sufficient time for them to be caught by the unknown enemy.

And that enemy was very likely Wu Meng.

Internal strife was unwise! Therefore, while the Old Task Force still had strength, they could provide Wang Fugui and the others some help to stabilize their mental states. It would also help their subsequent escape.

Upon hearing Jiang Baimian’s words, Gray, Waite, and the others’ expressions softened.

Jiang Baimian then hung up her gun, swooped up their team’s guide—Roen—with one hand, and grabbed Waite with the other before continuing to run.

Upon seeing this, Long Yuehong took charge of Gray and the taller lone Hunter. Bai Chen provided help to the guide of Wang Fugui’s team.

As for the thin and dark Wang Fugui, he was sandwiched under Genava’s armpit.

Why can he sit on the shoulder? Wang Fugui tried his best to look up and glanced at Shang Jianyao on the other side. This was a mutter in his heart, but he didn’t dare to say it aloud.

Amidst the clanging sounds, the Old Task Force—which wasn’t stingy with their power usage—completed the journey they had previously taken hours to complete in under 20 minutes.

Back then, they walked slowly, pausing and looking around occasionally.

During this process, nobody communicated or spoke. Long Yuehong inexplicably felt like he was running at the end of his rope.

Finally, he saw the familiar cave entrance and the hazy starlight outside.

The Old Task Force ran out in one go, but they didn’t relax because of this. They left Wang Fugui and the others behind and went straight to the area where their team’s vehicles were hidden.

Before long, the cars rendezvoused on the mountain road and returned to the advance base camp at a moderate speed.

Thud! Thud!

Long Yuehong’s heart never slowed down. He felt that it wasn’t time to relax yet.

Nearly two hours later, the advance base camp that was modified from a castle appeared in front of them.

Long Yuehong had never found it so endearing.

With Wang Fugui’s help, the entrance to the advance base camp opened for them late at night.

After returning to the parking lot, the two teams didn’t separate. They maintained vigilance until dawn.

When the sun’s rays shone on them and the darkness was chased away, Wang Fugui finally heaved a sigh of relief. “Let’s all have a rest.”

Long Yuehong secretly exhaled when he heard that.

From the current situation, Wu Meng might not be able to leave Wasteland Ruin 13. Otherwise, First City’s army around the city ruin would’ve long been affected.

After watching the Ruin Hunters leave, Jiang Baimian turned around and said in a deep voice, “Send a telegram to the company.”